Battery Leak Detection System

NASA's Shared Services Center has issued a Special Notice regarding a sole source procurement for a Battery Leak Detection System to measure leak rates of lithium-ion cells for 15-year mission compatibility. The agency intends to award this contract to INFICON INC in East Syracuse, New York, under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), citing them as the sole provider of the required leak rate measurement instrument. The system must be capable of testing three cylindrical cell formats (18650, 21700, and 46120) with strict leak rate tolerances of 0.5g for gas and liquid electrolytes over 15 years in vacuum conditions. The solicitation falls under NAICS code 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and will be performed at NASA Johnson Space Center. This procurement supports NASA's mission-critical battery testing requirements for long-duration space missions.

The primary purpose of this Special Notice is to notify potential contractors of NASA's intent to proceed with a sole source acquisition while providing an opportunity for other qualified organizations to demonstrate their capabilities. Interested parties must submit their capabilities and qualifications in writing to the primary point of contact, Cara Craft, by 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on July 24, 2025. The technical requirements include a test chamber with minimum internal dimensions of 40cm x 21cm x 12cm, leak rate measurement capability as low as 1.05 x 10-9g/s, 30-minute maximum test time per cell, and specific power and interface requirements. The contractor must deliver the instrument within 10 weeks of contract start, provide a 2-year warranty, and maintain a vacuum pump service plan. NASA will evaluate all submissions to determine whether to conduct the procurement on a competitive basis, with oral communications not being acceptable for this acquisition process.